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S Kawa

Publications and source records attributed to S Kawa.

94 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

A pancreatic oncofetal antigen: its partial purification and clinical application.

Studies on the purification, characterization and clinical application of pancreatic oncofetal antigen were reported. This antigen was purified from fetal pancreas, and migrated in the beta-region on electrophoresis. Its molecular weight was about 80 x 10(4) daltons on gel filtration with a Sephacryl S-300. This antigen is clearly different from other oncofetal antigens such as alfafetoprotein, carcinoembryonic antigen or ferritin. Clinically, this pancreatic oncofetal antigen was positive in sera of 68.4% of the patients with pancreatic cancer. However, elevated level of this antigen was also observed in the sera of some patients with biliary tract cancer, colon cancer or gastric cancer. The antigen was also found in pancreatic juice obtained from patients with pancreatic cancer in almost the same incidence as in their sera. It is suggested that a pancreatic oncofetal antigen assay of sera and pancreatic juice in combination with other oncofetal antigens is valuable for the diagnosis and monitoring the clinical course of pancreatic cancer.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

Levels of fructosyllysine in collagen are low compared with the loss of lysine in diabetic rats: involvement of oxidation in increased cross-linking.

1. It is thought that early glycation products on lysine residues of collagen are re-arranged to form collagen cross-links (advanced glycation end-products), which are increased in hyperglycaemia. We have previously reported that 4 week vitamin E supplementation in diabetic rats protected against the development of increased collagen cross-linking. In the present study we analysed early glycation products as fructosyllysine and amino acid content of tail tendon collagen in rats. 2. The amount of lysine residues in early collagen glycation products in diabetic rats was estimated to be less than 0.2 mol/mol type I collagen, whereas in the diabetic rats the loss of lysine residues was estimated to be 2.5 mol/mol. However, vitamin E supplementation protected against the loss of lysine residues without affecting early glycation products. 3. Thus, it is demonstrated that the amount of early collagen glycation products is quite small compared with the loss of lysine residues in diabetic rats and we suggest that the oxidative modification of lysine residues may be involved in the increased cross-linking observed in hyperglycaemia.

Amino Acids↗

Results of chemo-radiotherapy and prognostic factors of small cell lung cancer.

We studied the therapeutic results and prognostic factors in 63 cases of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) experienced in our hospital over the past eight years. In the group initially treated with combination chemotherapy using COMP-VAD, the survival period was significantly prolonged. Use of adjuvant radiotherapy from the beginning had no effect on improvement in the survival period, but the period until local recurrences tended to be prolonged. Prognostic factors influencing survival were analyzed by the log rank test and generalized Wilcoxon test and multivariate analysis by the proportional hazard model of Cox. Statistical significance using univariate analysis was found for six factors (PS, clinical stage, LDH, albumin, treatment protocols, treatment response). The strong prognostic factors determined by multivariate analysis were, in the order of importance, chemotherapy protocol, initial PS, and treatment response.

Adult↗